Santorini, a spectral Greek island is enveloped in extraordinary beauty. Formed by volcanic activities it’s a beautiful sea pearl of blue and white. Its also known as the “Crown Jewel of Greece”. It is an island of a complex island called the Cyclades. This volcanic island is located in the Aegean Sea, about 200Km from Greece. Its officially known as Thira.Landscapes with sharp cliffs have shaped the architecture of Santorini with typical blue doom roofs. The rich blue Mediterranean Ocean perfectly complements the signature blue domes of the many churches scattered around this island. The best time of the year to visit Santorini would be between late April and early November when the weather is warm and there is little rain. For nightlife, swimming and sun-bathing June to September is the best time when the water is just perfectly warm and cozy.It is such a friendly city and has a "have a frappe vibe" to it! Part of the charm of Santorini lies in its laid back and relaxed vibe. So when in Greece, do as the Greeks do. Put your watch down and put your feet up. Sit back and spend your time drinking the best quality of wine or frappe and savor the slow pace of the Island. And then shrug it off with a Greek shrug which is using both your mouth and shoulders.:) A little trivia here, Santorini is said to have more donkeys than people and more wine than water 😉 Here I’ve compiled a list of top attractions in Santorini and also some must do things when in Santorini.
Top attractions in Santorini, Greece
- Fall in love in Oia: Oia is Santorini’s most photographed village. Blue doomed white houses draped with fuschia bougainvillea, built into cliff faces and set against the backdrop of endless turquoise Aegean. It is located in Northwest region of Caldera. It’s the most attractive village. Catch the most spectacular sunset of your lifetimes here. Its advisable to reach about an hour ago before sunset and sit at a picturesque spot for this miraculous moment.
- Take a hike from Fira to Oia: This is the best thing to do in Santorini and it it is absolutely free. You get to see incredible views along the way as you hike away from the civilization. The hike takes as long as 2-5 hours. Start in Fira and the move north through Firostefani and then Imerovigli.From Imerovigli walk till Oia. The landscape along is largely rural with few shops and restaurants at the stretch.
- Cable car from Old port to Fira: Walk down the stairs to the old port, grab a drink and take the cable car back up. From the month of May to October these cable cars run every 20 min, from 6:30 to 22:00. This is a must do adventure of a lifetime for an undying experience of Santorini.
- Swim in Hot springs: Jump in from your boat into cold waters of Caldera and then swim towards the warm waters of volcanic hot springs. The waters here never gets hot and is warm and cozy.
- Kamari Beach: Santorini has many spectacular beaches with breathtaking views and Kamari is a really popular one. It is a black pebble beach has ragged cliffs of Mesa Vouno and Profitis Ilias Mountain, along with crystalline waters of Aegean. You can sunbath here or get one of the umbrellas if it too heated which it does gets pretty soon every day. Or enjoy a brunch at any of the beach resorts lined by it and soak in the sun and the view.
- Perissa – Black Sand Beach: One of the most famous beaches of Santorini, black sand beach in Perissa. It has crystal clear water, and a magnificent atmosphere. A unique place to relax and enjoy a holiday.It has soft black sand and an amazing great rock on one side.This beach is comparatively less crowded and has very low crowd in September.This beach is characterized by clean waters and no pebbles as in most places in Santorini.
- Red Beach: This is one of the most famous and beautiful beaches in Santorini. Located near the village and ancient site of Akrotiri.This beach is absolutely stunning and has different colors of stones and sands.This beach is a bit narrow so it gets crowded easily by tourists. But the beach is of great value with excellent food. The usual wraps, grills, and salads are delicious. The climb though is fairly steep at some places. For swimmers, the shore is fairly gentle and easy to get in. The bay is strewn around with rocky islets you can climb on and dive in. Its truly a geological marvel must visit in a lifetime.
- Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral: This is located at the Caldera edge in Fira, and is seen easily from all parts of Santorini. It was built in 1827. Though this was badly damaged due to catastrophe and earthquake of 1956, soon it got renovated and is known for mosaics, impressive bell tour, and rolling arches. The interiors are adorned with beautiful paintings of Christoforos Asimis.
- Go cliff jumping at Amoudi Bay: Follow down the sign leading to 214 steps descent to Amoudi Bay. Then walk through the restaurants and rocky pathways and take a left through the last Seafood restaurant. When you reach the black rocks, don’t turn back, you've just reached your destination. Climb over the stones to the jumping point and just dive into the blue waters from what seems the end of the world.
- Explore Akrotiri: One of the most important Archaeological sites in the Cyclades is Akrotiri. Previously, this used to be a very important city that got destroyed by earthquakes and volcanos. The 1962 excavations unearthed this Minoan city buried deep within volcanic ashes.
Be it Oia or Fira or the wonderful beaches, Santorini's magic is something that'll linger on to you months after your trip here. it is the magic of this greek island that has made every traveler here a new person after the experience. Happy travel!!